School workers poised to strike

Wiltse Elementary School CUPE workers are poised to strike with the rest of the 27,000 workers across the province over no wage increases in four years.

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July 12, 2013 - 6:00 AM

Penticton elementary school workers are ready to strike over no wage increase for the past four years.

They make up the 27,000 CUPE education workers who voted to strike in almost all of the 57 kindergarten to Grade 12 locals in 53 school districts. CUPE education workers include education assistants, clerical staff, trades, aboriginal workers, youth and family workers, custodians and bus drivers.

CUPE education workers hope to get the same two per cent wage increases other CUPE members received, union co-ordinator Bill Pugley said. He did not know why other CUPE workers received increases. "I think that's a question for the minister of education."

Pugley said the last strike was in 2000 and lasted five days before the government ordered them back to work. Pugley said it was a difficult situation but it provided a solution.

Both CUPE and school boards agree students must be at the forefront of negotiations.

A call to the Penticton region CUPE official was not returned by press time.

OPINION At least part of me wasn’t sure I should write this, given what happened last time. It was August 15, 2003 and like many Thursdays before it, I was scratching around for a column idea. The summer newsroom